Category Archives: Songbirds

How Many Maritimers Does it Take to Find a Downy Woodpecker False Face?

Posted on June 11, 2013 by James Churchill

The idea that “false faces” are used by birds for predator deterrence floats in the ether between biology textbook case study and mythical meme. The idea that evolution can produce false faces compels and amazes us but because of the lack of … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Bird Behaviour, Bird Canada, Bird Identification, Canadian Birds, Nature Photography, Songbirds, Woodpeckers | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Don’t Touch That Baby Bird!

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Charlotte Wasylik

Posted by Charlotte Wasylik, aka Prairie Birder The other week, I had a question from one of my readers asking what to do with a baby American Robin his family had found and what to feed it. At once I … Continue reading →

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Bird Canada, Bird Conservation Canada, Canadian Birds, Conservation, Grasslands Birds, Songbirds | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Finding Wilderness in Toronto

Posted on May 26, 2013 by Julia Zarankin

I marvel how much I learn from birds. I do not exaggerate when I say that they have taught me how to see, how to pay attention to detail, and how to appreciate the unexpected finds even when the sought … Continue reading →

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Bird Canada, Birding Trips, Canadian Birds, Nature News, Songbirds, Wood Warblers | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Consulting the eBird Oracle: Where are our Migrant Warblers Now?

Posted on May 11, 2013 by James Churchill

It is early May – where are our migrant Warblers on their journeys? (Hint: check out the maps below!) The majority of our breeding Warblers are lurking just south of the belt (the Canada/US belt, not the Bible Belt) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Bird Canada, Canadian Birds, Citizen Science, Migration, Songbirds, Wood Warblers | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What is Digiscoping?

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Charlotte Wasylik

Posted by Charlotte Wasylik, aka Prairie Birder Now that Spring is underway through most of Canada, there are more birds to see, especially with the help of our cameras and scopes. If you have a camera — or even an … Continue reading →

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Bird Canada, Bird Identification, Grasslands Birds, Nature Photography, Songbirds | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Spring Care for Bird Boxes

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Charlotte Wasylik

Posted by Charlotte Wasylik, aka Prairie Birder, The breeding and nesting season is just around the corner, and in most parts of Canada, birds that nest in boxes have already started to look for the perfect box to build their … Continue reading →

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Bird Canada, Canadian Birds, Migration, Songbirds | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

History and Birds: Stanley Park (Vancouver, BC)

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Pierre Cenerelli

Vancouver’s Stanley Park is one of Canada’s important urban parks, not only because of its large size, but also because of the richness of the ecosystems it shelters. More specifically, it features an important, year-long bird population, particularly during the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bird Canada, Canadian Birds, Conservation, Corvids, Hummingbirds, Nature Photography, Owls, Raptors, Songbirds, Waterfowl | Leave a comment

DIY Animated Observation Maps Using eBird Data: Part I

Posted on March 11, 2013 by James Churchill

In the last couple of years, eBird took two pretty important steps with their data: they began releasing animated occurrence maps for the conterminous U.S., and also opened the gates for  downloading data from the global database. In combination, these developments give … Continue reading →

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Bird Canada, Canadian Birds, Citizen Science, Conservation, Migration, Songbirds | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Winter Nests

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Charlotte Wasylik

Posted by Charlotte Wasylik, aka Prairie Birder, Nests can be very hard to find in the spring, summer, or even fall. On the prairies, the best time of year to look for birds’ nests is actually in the winter. I’ve come across quite … Continue reading →

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Bird Canada, Canadian Birds, Corvids, Songbirds, Woodpeckers | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Introduction: Synecdoche and the Bird

Posted on February 11, 2013 by James Churchill

When asked why he chose to live in the remote, wilds of Montana, nature writer David Quammen would traditionally reply, “the trout.” And when pressed, “the trout is a synecdoche” – a discrete, phenomenal, biological entity, but immeasurably more than … Continue reading →

Posted in Bird Behaviour, Bird Canada, Bird Conservation Canada, Canadian Birds, Citizen Science, Conservation, Migration, Nature Photography, Owls, Songbirds, Wood Warblers | Tagged , , | 4 Comments